Ceylon, or Sri Lanka, was long known to travellers for its
luxuriant landscapes, colourful temples and friendly inhabitants
the island once named Serendip. This book explores the sojourns of
gay visitors from the late 1800s to the modern day, providing a
history of homosexuality, travel and cultural encounter on the
island.
The book offers profiles of major figures in Sri Lankan culture
and of homosexual visitors, both famous and infamous, to the
island. It discusses the experiences of sojourners including the
Victorian social reformer Edward Carpenter and the German
naturalist Ernst Haeckel, such British and American writers as Paul
Bowles and Arthur C. Clarke, and the Australian painter Donald
Friend. It also pays particular attention to Lionel Wendt, one of
the most important modernist photographers outside Europe. For
these figures, an erotic appreciation of young men whom they
encountered mixed with interest in Sinhalese art, Buddhist and
Hindu spirituality, and the flora and fauna of the island. Their
experiences influenced modern writing, art and dance. Cultural
influences moved in both directions, however, and Sri Lankans also
found inspiration from abroad. The book argues that homosexuals
played a major role in the transmission of cultural influences from
Sri Lanka to the rest of the world, and from the wider world to
this Indian Ocean island.
Providing an original analysis of gay cultures in Sri Lanka from
Victorian encounters to the present day, this book is the first
study of Sri Lanka as a site of gay travel. An excellent study of
trans-national cultural exchange, sexuality and the relationships
between them, it will be of interest to academics in the field of
Asian Studies, Colonial History and Gay and Queer Studies."
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(1)
(2)
